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Dr Rachel Murphy

@rachelmurphy.bsky.social
2.1K followers 1.6K following 232 posts

Assistant Professor in Irish History @unioflimerick.bsky.social | Landed estates, history of family, local history, digital humanities | Historical GIS | Genealogist | Learning about biodiversity | Thurles, Co. Tipperary. 🇪🇺🌍🌳

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Reposted by Dr Rachel Murphy
Dr. Stephanie Seul @stephanieseul.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
This incident should be a wake-up call to academics 🔽 '...the message is clear: in the age of AI, your "Do Not Train" checkbox is not a guarantee. [...] And if you're working on something truly valuable, the machine might just learn enough to solve it before you do." emeraldbook.org/news/sep-112...
emeraldbook.org
How OpenAI “Solving” a $1 Million Math Problem Proves Your Chats Aren’t Private – Emerald Book
◆ Emerald Pages ◆ Technology / Ethics How OpenAI “Solving” a $1 Million Math Problem Proves Your Chats Aren’t Private Emerald Book Publication September 11, 2026 8 min read The tech world is celebrati...
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Wildlife @worldwildlife.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops): 28cm (11in). This Afro-Eurasian bird is distinguished by its colourful plumage and the crown of feathers which it can extend. Spectacular photo taken by Bernard Liegeois in France. #hoopoe #bird #nature #france #wildlife #bsky
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Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Ancient cave art discovery suggests first known humans in Ireland walked over from Wales www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Cave art discovery suggests first humans in Ireland came from Wales
During the most recent Ice Age, researchers believe there was a "lost land bridge" between Wales and Ireland.
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National Library of Ireland @nlireland.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
🌿 We’ve just catalogued this charming gardening manual, published in Dublin by J. Exshaw, 86 Dame Street, in 1777. Includes a lovely fold-out plate showing “sections of the different cuts for inoculation and grafting” — a glimpse into 18th-century gardening techniques. 🌱 ow.ly/fKnv50ZJg8S
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
“For decades, women have missed out on accurate diagnoses and treatment. This focus on finding less common causes of heart attacks, which predominantly affect women, should help to change that. It could be life-changing for huge numbers of women in the UK and worldwide.” Prof Bryan Williams.
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Cameron Blevins @cblevins.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This MIT report on AI and teaching is rightfully getting lots of praise: aiandeducation.mit.edu/report/. There's a ton to like, but it exemplifies a trend I see on Bluesky around AI + pedagogy conversations: they tend to leave out online learning entirely.
Screenshot of MIT report on AI and education:
3.1.4. Build structured in-person social learning
into subjects
Because Al tools are disrupting longstanding patterns of social learning at MIT, every subject should include a regular in-person social component (not just sitting in lecture or recitation and quietly taking notes). Instructors should intentionally structure such interactions to achieve desired learning objectives and maintain quality, even in large classes.
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Megan Smolenyak @megansmolenyak.com · 28/08/2026
I donated a bible to the American Civil War Museum & am delighted that it was featured in a cover article for their magazine, Ironclad. You can read pgs 3-11 (lots of photos!) to discover its surprising journey. Am so happy to have found an ideal home for it! #Genealogy issuu.com/acwmuseum/do...
issuu.com
Ironclad: Vol 3/ Issue 3/ Spring 2025
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National Library of Ireland @nlireland.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Online Talk | Sir Charles Wogan, knight-baronet of the Kingdom of Ireland Join Richard Maher on Zoom as he tells the remarkable story of Charles Wogan of Kildare, who masterminded the daring 1719 rescue of Princess Clementina Sobieska. 📅 Tues, 8 Sept, 3pm ow.ly/CZ8X50ZGqvh
ow.ly
Online Talk | Sir Charles Wogan, knight-baronet of the Kingdom Ireland
As part of the 'Strangers to Citizens' Online Talk Series
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Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
REMINDER The third episode of A House Though Time is on BBC2 tonight at 9pm with David Olusoga moving into the start of the 20th century with more research & stories from the past residents of the house at Calton Hill, Edinburgh.🏘️
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
bylinetimes.com/2026/08/18/t...
bylinetimes.com
The Peter Thiel-Linked Race Science Network that Penetrated Cambridge University and Targeted Jason Arday
The media's coverage of the academic's life was fuelled by the campaign of an established far-right network
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Emma Mitchell @silverpebble2.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Daughter’s heart pinhole camera 🖤#eclipse
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Nigel Manton. @mantonn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
At the end of a very hot day, what an event! I experienced some quite unexpected emotions, and was delighted with my little spot in the middle of a deserted road in Andalusia. Phone cameras can never capture it. #eclipse
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Ron Davies @rondavies.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Slightly cloudy conditions in Kilsheelan, Ireland but still managed to capture the eclipse.
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Phil Plait @philplait.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Don't forget that the Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight! It's one of the best of the year, with maybe 50 per hour visible. I wrote all about how to watch it for the 2023 shower; the basics still all apply. www.scientificamerican.com/article/pers...
scientificamerican.com
Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend in a Stargazing Must-See
All you need to see one of the year’s best meteor showers is a clear, dark sky—and patience
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Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I wrote about a reason not to use generative AI in your writing that I haven't seen anyone talking about. Once I realized this, banning GenAI in our lab's writing became a no-brainer. Feel free to share, I think this is probably useful especially for trainees: www.carlsonlab.bio/thoughts/the...
carlsonlab.bio
The only reason you’ll ever need not to write with AI — The Carlson Lab
Over the last year, our lab has been developing a policy on AI use. To do this, we did three main things: We read a lot of academic publications and tech news. We set up an #ai channel on our la...
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Some of today's flowers, Thurles, Co Tipperary @bsbiireland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #WildflowerHour #DaisyFamily #Bloomscrolling
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The Material Culture of Wills Project @materialwills.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
📢PROJECT UPDATE📢 You may have seen the news that the University of Exeter, home of the wills project, has placed 500 academics at risk of redundancy. The project leader Prof. Jane Whittle & project co-investigator Dr Laura Sangha are both at risk, alongside almost all of the History department. 1/
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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
The Creative Industries added £124 billion to the UK economy in 2023, but yes, let's not bother to fund any training and education in them. I mean, it's not like we're known for music, fashion, artists, filmmakers, performers. Make it make sense.
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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
‘The labour of the month of August’, Limoges, workshop of Jean Pénicaud II, c. 1555 (British Museum)
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will pooley @willpooley.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Some historical background to the fires in southwestern France, drawing on reading I did for my 2019 book about the moorlands, and lamenting the deeply depressing reality that we have known many of the causes of this ecological disaster for 150years 🗃️ williamgpooley.wordpress.com/2026/07/30/u...
williamgpooley.wordpress.com
Unintentional Arson
The fires in southwestern France are an appalling demonstration of the reality of climate change in 2026. But this is not the first ecological devastation in the region, and the role of human actio…
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Deirdre O'Shaughnessy @deshocks.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Fires in Slievenamon, Connemara and Killarney show our hills are on life support - @whittledaway.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
irishexaminer.com
Fires in Slievenamon, Connemara and Killarney show our hills are on life support
We should invest in mountains like we invest in schools, roads and hospitals, and acknowledge Slievenamon, along with all other hills, has been sick for some time and needs help if it is going to reco...
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Tipp FM @tippfm.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
dlvr.it
Another flare-up on Slievenamon
The Slievenamon fire remains stable as Emergency Services continue to manage isolated flare-ups. A small, localised fire has been identified on the western side of the mountain today. The wildfire is now into its 10th day on the South Tipp mountain. Tipperary Fire & Rescue Service and Coillte are actively managing the situation, with the […] The post Another flare-up on Slievenamon appeared first on Tipp FM.
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 30/07/2026
And here is some of that "Mediterranean lifestyle", as reported by today's Telegraph website...
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 30/07/2026
Here's a quick recap of those five stages of climate denial... 1. Deny the problem exists 2. Deny we are the cause 3. Deny it is a problem 4. Deny we can solve it 5. Claim it is too late And we should probably squeeze in... 4.5. Claim we can just adapt www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
The 5 stages of climate denial are on display ahead of the IPCC report | Dana Nuccitelli
Dana Nuccitelli: Climate contrarians appear to be running damage control in the media before the next IPCC report is published
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 30/07/2026
This is the letter that the current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has written to the Telegraph in response to yesterday's column by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. Note how she - yet again - doesn't actually explain how she would tackle climate change 🤔
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 30/07/2026
Meanwhile, look at the extreme discordance and dissonance of stories on this news page in the same edition...
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Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 30/07/2026
The Daily Telegraph has raced through all five stages of climate denial this week. But this is, perhaps, the most ridiculous column so far: "Without minimising the severe downsides…especially on some poorer nations, many in Britain would enjoy the kind of warmer climate predicted by modellers..."
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Dread and Rosie @rosiemund.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
To be fair, quite a lot of the Mediterranean is also on fire if that's what he means.
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Ren Zelen @renzelen.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Meanwhile, The idiots at The Telegraph are telling us to abandon net zero and just enjoy a Mediterranean climate’ - which those Telegraph climate deniers don’t understand is NOT what we are going to get.
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Andy Scollick @andyscollick.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
It means a lot more than that: Embracing a Mediterranean life in the climate changed near future also means being displaced by wildfires and floods; accepting death from heat illness; loss of crops and other food resources, resulting in hunger; and worse: potential societal breakdown.
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Marita Hennessy @maritahennessy.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Testimony shines a light on Magdalene Laundry and Mother & Baby Home survivors Available to watch back on RTE Player (I would encourage everyone to...) www.rte.ie/culture/2026... #HumanRights #Justice #JusticeForMagdalenes
rte.ie
Testimony - giving voice to Magdalene and Mother & Baby survivors
Filmmaker Aoife Kelleher introduces her documentary Testimony, a profoundly moving documentary that chronicles the fight for justice by survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby H...
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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
jesus fucking christ
t took me a while to realise what the man sitting next to me on the train was doing. He was flicking through pictures of a little girl on his phone; zooming in on some, cropping the images. Hardly unusual, of course, except that on closer inspection the pictures were very clearly of the toddler sitting opposite us, playing with her parents. On a crowded train of people mostly staring obliviously at our own phones, a stranger had been covertly photographing that little girl over and over again. And if it hadn’t been for that very visible phone screen giving him away, he wouldn’t have been caught.
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CorkBeo.ie @corkbeo.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
While the future of Bessborough is under discussion - more discoveries at Tuam
corkbeo.ie
22 more infant remains recovered at Tuam
Bringing the total to 99 discovered since July 2025
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Sky News @news.sky.com · 22/07/2026
Remains of 22 more infants found at former St Mary's mother and baby home in Tuam, Ireland
news.sky.com
Remains of 22 more infants found at former St Mary's mother and baby home in Tuam, Ireland
The remains of a further 22 infants have been found at the site of a former mother and baby home in Ireland, investigators have said.
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
#StillFlowering in Thurles, Co. Tipperary #NoMowSummer @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
The National Archives of Ireland's genealogy site has been taken offline - to find out where to access those collections online see this very helpful post from @cbgenealogy.ie #IrishGenealogy #IrishFamilyHistory #Skystorians
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Daniel Loftus @danielloftus.projectinfant.ie · 17/07/2026
And now, Patricia appears as a search result on IrishGenealogy.ie! #Genealogy
Search entry result for Patricia Brennan giving her age at death, date of death and district.
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Evan Roberts @evanrobertsnz.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
History of Medicine at UMN is hiring a one year Teaching Fellow for the upcoming academic year. Please share with anyone who may be interested! #histmed #histsci hr.myu.umn.edu/psc/hrprd/EM...
hr.myu.umn.edu
Careers
This position is based on campus. Per UMN policy, work may be done remotely when appropriate and approved by your manager.  All UMN employees are expected to follow applicable public health and safety procedures.
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Katherine Arnold @arnoldke.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
🚨 JOB KLAXON #skystorians #envhist #envhums Cover for some of my teaching next year - 0.5 FTE at University of Liverpool. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DSE899/l...
jobs.ac.uk
Lecturer in Environmental History (Teaching & Scholarship) (0.5 FTE)- Grade 7 at University of Liverpool
Apply now for the Lecturer in Environmental History (Teaching & Scholarship) (0.5 FTE)- Grade 7 role on jobs.ac.uk - the leading job board for higher education jobs. View details.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
In perhaps our most devastating briefing we find early career staff in the humanities as a whole have declined by 20% since 2016/17. Between 23/24 and 24/25 early career staff across all SHAPE subject areas fell by 6%, (from 52,795 to 49,410 FPE). That is the pipeline for our disciplines
The British Academy
Mapping SHAPE academic staff briefing:
Pathways for early career
SHAPE
academics are in decline
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The decline in job opportunities for ECRs and a widening gap between teaching and research roles “pose a real risk to the sustainability of the disciplines and consequently to the UK’s world leading R&D capacity” says @eicathomefinn.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/humanit...
timeshighereducation.com
Humanities hardest hit as early career opportunities disappear
Analysis of staff data finds skew to teaching-only roles in entry-level positions, with scale of cuts not reflected at more senior levels
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Emilie K. M. Murphy @emiliekmmurphy.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
#earlymodern 🗃️ This is phenomenal project and a solid opportunity for someone who has just finished their PhD. NB v tight deadline - apps by 28 July
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Nothing like a bit of sea swimming on a day like today! #Guillamene #Waterford @claireconnolly.bsky.social
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Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
It's #DigitalFriday ! This is my routine appeal to #skystorians and all other academics prepping for teaching to share any software, hardware, online resources (primary, secondary, teaching tools, blogs) tips and tricks that they've found useful this week! #AcademicSky 🗃️(pls boost to relevant feeds)
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Great opportunity for someone with a background in #genealogy and #heritage: Genealogist & Heritage Centre Manager, North Tipperary Genealogy & Heritage Centre, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Closes Fri 24 July. Please share widely. #FamilyHistory #IrishFamilyHistory www.tipperarycoco.ie/human-resour...
tipperarycoco.ie
Genealogist & Heritage Centre Manager Vacancy | Tipperary County Council
Genealogist & Heritage Centre Manager Vacancy
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Dr Rachel Murphy @rachelmurphy.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Really pleased this is back online! #IrishHistory #IrishLegalHistory
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